How boy, 6, escaped death at the hands of fugitive housemaid

Dar es Salaam. Police in Dar es Salaam have launched a manhunt for a housemaid who fled after allegedly attempting to slit the throat of a six-year-old boy.

Witnesses said Malik Hashim’s survival was largely due to his bravery after he managed to stagger from his parents’ house despite being seriously wounded and bleeding profusely.

Malik, a First Grade pupil, was attacked by the housemaid identified by police as Clemensia Cosmas after returning home from school at around 6pm on Monday, July 15, 2024 in Goba Kinzudi, Kinondoni District.

Dar es Salaam Special Police Zone Commander Jumanne Muliro said in a statement on Wednesday that Cosmas was being sought on suspicion of wounding Malik on the neck with a sharp object.

“The incident occurred on July 15 and the child was taken to Mloganzila Hospital and later transferred to Muhimbili National Hospital where he continues to receive treatment. The suspect fled after committing the offence and is being sought,” he said.

Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) head of public relations Aminiel Aligaesha said the boy was admitted on Monday night and is being treated by specialists.

“This matter is being investigated by the Police Force. We are continuing to treat him as police do their job,” he said.

Reliable sources said Malik is expected to make a full recovery despite being seriously wounded.

Neighbours said on the day of the incident, they heard children shouting, “Malik has cut his own neck!”

They rushed to the scene and initially thought that the boy had had an accident.

A neighbour who identified herself only a Janeth said they saw the child lying on the ground near his parents’ house.

They immediately went into the house to look for the housemaid, but did not find her.

Instead, they saw a trail of blood from inside the house to where the boy had collapsed.

“We suspect there was a struggle and she fled after committing the dastardly deed. The child managed to escape from the house and came outside to seek help. He was weak and collapsed on a footpath. That’s where other children found him and started calling for help,” Janeth said.

Another neighbour, who identified herself as Mariam, said the suspect lived peacefully with her employers.

“The woman is a good person and we have never seen her argue with the housemaid. This girl also lived with the child as if he was her younger sibling and the family treated her like one of their own. We never saw her fighting with the child,” she said.

The child’s father, Mr Hashim Kitumbi, appealed to police to arrest the suspect and bring her to justice as soion as possible.

He said his son underwent surgery on Monday night and is undergoing further treatment, adding that the family was seeking assistance with the child’s treatment.

“We have been given a control number that can be used by whoever wants to assist.”

Asked how they hired the housemaid, Mr Kitumbi said they were introduced to her through a family friend whom they had informed that they were looking for a housemaid.

“This young man is our friend and he assured us that she was his younger sister. We trusted him and we thought she would be the right person for us. We lived with the girl for six months,” he said.

Mr Kitumbi added, however, that the young man has refused to cooperate since the incident occurred.

“We leave this matter to the Police Force,” he said.

Mr Muliro urged Dar es Salaam residents to be vigilant whenever they seek housemaids and stressed the importance of ensuring they have all the necessary information before hiring them and leaving them with children.

“When you bring in a housemaid, you need to know where she comes from so that you do welcome a mad person into your house and leave the responsibilities of taking care of your children and your house to her. You need to know where she comes from and her parents,” he said.

Health psychologist and researcher Lusajo Kajula said before hiring a housemaid, it is important to check their mental state and also get information from children about his she behaves in their parents’ absence.